“Integration” is a hot word out there right now. When you’re around Maverick, you’ll hear it combined with a lot of talk about proprietary design. That’s because we have made a number of choices that are indeed different than the rest of the bike world. So it begs the question, “Is integration on a bike good or bad?” We have to say the answer is “Yes. Both.” If there is a standard component or design that performs well just like it is, then don’t mess with it. We don’t believe in creating a proprietary part just to say we did.
 
However, we start by asking, “Who’s benefiting from the integration?” If it’s the bike company who benefits most because it gets to charge more or sell more, then the integration is a bad idea. But if the rider benefits with a clearly and objectively better ride as a result, then the integration is a brilliantly good thing. Based on this kind of thinking, we have been integrating some key areas of our bikes – in some cases since we started 6 years ago.